Combination track-bond and tie.



L. B. BAILEY. comsmmou TRACK 30m) AND THE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5.191 7- Lfi a45 w Patented. Ju1y10,1917.

\ I Emmi box COMBINATION TRACK-BOND AND TIE.

Application filed February 5, 1917.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. LAFAYETTE B. BAILEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Yolyn, in the county of Logan and State of WVest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination Track-Bonds and Ties, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to railway tracks and particularly to mining tracks and specifically the invention relates to the ties upon which the rails are mounted and to the means for clamping the rails upon the ties.

One object of the invention is to provide a very simple and very cheap tie and rail bonrl so constructed that the rails will be .held firmly in engagement with the ties and further so constructed that the ties act as bonds electrically connecting the rails.

A further object is to provide a rail supporting structure of the character described wherein the rail clamp is urged toward the rail as it is drawn downward toward the tie thus securing not only a firm engagement of the rail with the tie but a very good electrical connection between the clamp and the rail and the rail and the metallic tie.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 15 an edge elevation of a tie and rail bond constructed in accordance with my invention, the rails being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view ofone end of the tie and rail clamp, the rail being shown in section and a portion of the tie and clamp being in section;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 2, the web of the rail being in section;

Fig. 4 is an under side plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 2.

My combined tie and rail bond is especially adapted for coal mines where it is necessary to have a bonded track so that the track will form one side of an electric circuit, one of the objects of the invention being to do away with the use of the ordinary track bonds or rail bonds and substitute therefor my combination track bond and tie. As illustrated in the drawings, my invention comprises a tie 10 preferably formed of a transversely extending metallic bar, the ends of this bar being bent upward and then in- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1917.

Serial No. 146,775.

ward and then upward as at 11 to form relatively fixed rail engaging clamps or abutments which will extend upward on the web of the rail sufficiently to thoroughly brace it against lateral thrusts. The tie, inward of therail seat 12, is formed with the slots 13. Each of these slots has a vertical inner end and a downwardly and outwardly inclined opposite end 14.

Coacting with the tie are the adjustable rail engaging clamps 15. Each of these clamps has a base portion 16 designed to rest upon the upper face of the tie and an upwardly extending portion 17 designed to engage over the base flange of the rail and engage against the web of the rail. Each of these clamps 1.5 is longitudinally slotted as at 18 for the reception of a square-shank.

bolt 19 which extends downward through the base of the clamp and through the tie. Each clamp 15 is also formed on its under side with a downwardly extending lug 20, this lug having its outer face beveled as at 21 to engage with the beveled face 14 of the corresponding slot 13. ith this construction it is obvious that as the nut on the bolt 19 is turned up, the corresponding rail clamp 15 will be drawn downward and as itmoves downward the beveled face 21 will engage with the beveled face 14: and the clamp will be wedged laterally toward the rail. Thus the rail engaging member or clamp 15 will be not only drawn downward on the rail so as to hold the rail securely to the tie but will also be forced laterally so as to shift the rail over into fixed clamping engagement with the clamping member 11.

All of the parts above described are metallic and, therefore, may be cheaply made and are relatively light. This tie and bond isparticularly adapted for mines because the rails are supported only a minimum distance above the floor of the tunnel. Where the height of mine tunnels is limited, as they usually are, this is a considerable advantage inasmuch as under the same conditions a car, motor or mule could be three to four and one-half inches higher (and yet be worked under the low roof) with my construction than with the usual manner of mounting or supporting the rails on the track. Furthermore my construction makes a very rigid. track, the rails are held against spreading and yet may be readily detached from the ties at any time for repair or replacement. Furthermore the bolt used with the ties would carry a nut of the same size as the nuts and bolts used on the fish plates track, that is from one rail to the opposite rail. Both rails are intended to be connected to the sources of energy so that when the mine car with its motor passes orer the rails a return circuit will be provided from the rails through the motor and back to the source of energy. The tie'and rail clamp being made of metal, the opposite rails will be electrically connected and though the fish plates might carry some of the current, yet the fish plates alone would not be sufiicient. \Vith my construction, however, the rails are very effectively bonded so that the current will always find a path.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A combined tie and rail bond comprising a metallic tie member having its ends upwardly and inwardly turned to form fixed rail clamps, said tie member being slotted inward of the fixed clamps, the slot having a downwardly and outwardly beveled face and rail clamping members each includ ing a base formed with a slot and each having on its face a downwardly extending lug having a beveled face coac'ting with the beveled face of the slot, and a bolt passing through the slot of the rail clamping member and through the tie, said bolt when tightened causing. the beveled face of the lug to bear against the beveled face of the slot and force the clamping member down ward and toward the rail.

2'. A metallic tie member having a rail clamp formed at one end to engage over the base of a rail, said tie member being slotted inward of the clamp, the slot having a downwardly and outwardly beveled face, and a rail clamping member having a base formed with a slot and having on its underface a downwardly extending lug formed with a beveled face coacting with the beveled face of the slot, and a bolt passing through the slot of the rail clamping member and through the tie, said bolt when tightened causing the beveled face of the lug to bear against the beveled face of the slot and force the clamping member downward and toward the rail.

3. A metallic tie member having a fixed rail engaging clamp at one end, a movable clamp mounted upon the tie member for movement toward or from the rail, a bolt passing through the movable clamp and the tie, the clamp having movement relative to the bolt toward or from the rail, and coacting means on the clamp and on the tie member acting to urge the clamp toward the rail when the bolt is tightened.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LAFAYETTE B. BAILEY.

lVitnesses:

J. W. LUsHER, H. A. RICHARDSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner -01 yatents, Washington, D. C. 

